Judy and her family get into the habit of saving money in a “family stash jar,” which is used for emergencies or family outings. But soon, she starts noticing that someone in the family has sticky fingers, helping themselves to the money. Judy has to figure out who it is and what is the reason for such dishonesty.
I’m sure that it’s the same for most families. But in our family, honesty is the foundation of everything. I’ve always trusted my husband, Ethan, my 24-year-old son, Josh, and my 17-year-old daughter, Emma, implicitly.
So, when money started disappearing from our family stash, it felt like a punch to the gut. We’d always kept a communal jar of cash for emergencies or spontaneous outings, but lately, large sums had been vanishing without explanation.
“I must be losing my mind,” I said out loud to myself when I noticed that the jar looked a little different from when I had last put in some money.
I smiled at Josh. He had worked so hard to do this special thing for his wife. The least I could have done was support him throughout and help whenever he needed me.
“Thank you, Judy,” Lily said just before we all sat down to eat. “I can tell that you had a big part to play in this entire thing!”
After the cake was served and Lily had opened her birthday presents, I stood up, holding my glass of champagne.
“I’d like to make a toast,” I announced, smiling as everyone gathered around.
“I’ve prepared a little video as a special surprise for the birthday girl,” I said, clicking play on the projector’s remote.
The screen lit up with the words: Happy Birthday, Thief!
Gasps filled the air as the footage played, showing Lily sneaking into the living room and taking the money. The shock on her face mirrored the disbelief in the room.
“Lily, is this true?” Josh asked, his eyes wide.
“I can explain!” she said. “I didn’t mean for it to go this far!”
“How could you?” Josh asked. “And I saw you place those hairpins, trying to frame Emma. How could you stoop so low?”
“Why, Lily?” Emma asked from her seat. “What did I ever do to you?”
Lily sobbed, unable to answer. The room was heavy with tension.
Ethan stepped forward, his voice firm.
“Lily, you’ve broken our trust. We welcomed you into our family, and this is how you repay us?”
Lily looked around, her eyes glazing over.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“What did you use the money for?” Ethan demanded.
Slowly, Lily held up her hands.
“My nails,” she said. “And to get coffee and food…”
I couldn’t believe what I had heard.
“I can’t stay married to someone I no longer trust,” Josh told Lily, who burst into a fresh set of tears.
The fallout was intense, but it brought our family closer than before.